Local & Regional

3:04 pm

Tue February 11, 2014

More Schools Cancel Classes for March Rally at the Capitol

Three more area school districts plan to rally for more funding at the capitol next month.

Bixby, Sapulpa and Broken Arrow's school boards voted unanimously to cancel classes March 31 so teachers and students can go to the rally.

They join Tulsa Public Schools in canceling classes that day.

Ryan Owens, executive director of the United Suburban Schools Association said funding is down $200 million from five years ago and that needs to be corrected.

"Maybe $200 million is a big number, but when you think of $243.60 less per student today than you had in 2009, I think everybody understands that's unacceptable," Owens said. "We're going the wrong way, and that's why we want to rally on [March 31]."

Steven Crawford, executive director of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators said no instruction days will be lost.

"Snow takes away from an instruction day, and it's made up. It's no different," he said.

Crawford also said public assets won't be used for the rally, including for transportation.

"We are not advising schools to utilize any direct appropriations of any kind to support the rally," Crawford said.

Jenks, Claremore, Collinsville and Owasso schools may soon cancel classes on March 31 as well. Those school boards plan on voting on the matter in the next month.